# For the life of me I am struggling to retrohale at all



## zoey (Nov 17, 2013)

I have searched the forums, watch youtube videos, and outside the forum but for whatever reason I can't get the hang of it.

Any tips from the seasoned BOTL I might try?

I feel like I am missing out on so much!

-Zoey/Galen


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## maverickmage (Feb 10, 2008)

Might help if you state what you've tried. I personally don't do a full retrohale. I exhale most of the smoke, hold a bit in my mouth and breathe out with my nose. That seems to do the trick for me.


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## Drez_ (Jan 30, 2014)

It's going to be a lot more peppery coming through the nose than in your mouth. If it is something exceptionally peppery in your mouth, you might not want to try retrohaling it. 

Try to "swallow" the smoke and breath out through your nose. Hold the smoke as far back in your mouth/throat as you can. It may actually be easier with more smoke in your mouth until you get the hang of it. Watching videos will give you a general idea, but the best way is to keep breathing out through your nose as you've got smoke in your mouth..Eventually you'll find what works with you.

I suppose it differs on everyones individual sinuses, and comes more easily to some than others. I usually don't have to "swallow" but just breath out through my nose with my mouth closed. Try exhaling a litter harder through your nose as you do it, might help push it through.


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## apollo (Jan 11, 2014)

Puff your cheeks with air, and close your mouth. Make this air come out of your nose. I've taught many folks the retrohale with this way of describing it.


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## thechasm442 (Jan 21, 2014)

I just breathe as normal through my nose as I draw smoke into my mouth. I than choose how much smoke I dispense from my mouth and how much I retrohale as I release my draw. It has always came very naturally but I did smoke cigarettes for 13 years and other things for longer than that, so maybe experience helps.


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

Don't worry I've been trying forever and I still can't do it. It just doesn't come natural to me.


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## Laptime61 (Mar 12, 2014)

Im in the same boat, just keep trying. Its like learning a smoking trick it may or may not come right away but eventually you will get it.


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## Laynard (Oct 10, 2013)

I do it almost every puff. I found out that I do it from vaporizing. That may be a good segue for you. Or, try without any smoke at all. Pretend to puff air into your mouth, pause, then exhale through your nose,


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## Tombstone (Aug 22, 2013)

Give it time, keep trying. It took several months of trying before I felt like I was getting the hang of it. Its much easier to start out with milder smokes and work your way up.


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## zoey (Nov 17, 2013)

I tried/practiced some today while working out in the yard. I was able to get one very little retrohale using the tongue trick...forcing the smoke back in my mouth then breathing out.

I also tried the puff my cheek trick for whatever reason that didn't work. Tried also blowing out a little smoke first then breathing out the nose at the same time....didn't work.

I think the issue is my fear of inhaling into my lungs and I am shutting off access to the nasal cavity. I guess I will keep practicing....LOL....ballz!


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## Midnight_Ryder (Sep 17, 2013)

Its gonna slightly feel like you sucked water up your nose until you get used to it. It won't burn as bad as that though. This is the best way I can describe how to do it. Take a puff, close your mouth while slowly blowing out through your nose. You should get a little bit of smoke to come out. That's what it will be like. Now all you have to do is tweak it so your not blowing all the smoke out through your nose. When I do it, I take a puff then exhale blowing out of my nose and mouth while driving my tongue towards the roof of my mouth. Keep practicing, you will eventually get the hang of it.


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## sullen (Sep 10, 2013)

you might be trying too hard. it's a VERY gentle movement of tounge and throat muscles....

it came naturally to me, i've been able to do it since i first started smoking cigarettes eons ago. so it's kinda difficult for me to explain...

check out this video though, especially the animation that's a few mins in..
the guy seems like a complete douchebag, and it's kinda painful to hear his voice, but it is very informative.... it may help you to better understand it and be able to do it.

~edit~
yeah it would help if i included the link:


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

sullen said:


> you might be trying too hard. it's a VERY gentle movement of tounge and throat muscles....
> 
> it came naturally to me, i've been able to do it since i first started smoking cigarettes eons ago. so it's kinda difficult for me to explain...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the link brother. I'll try his tips next.


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## zoey (Nov 17, 2013)

sullen said:


> you might be trying too hard. it's a VERY gentle movement of tounge and throat muscles....
> 
> it came naturally to me, i've been able to do it since i first started smoking cigarettes eons ago. so it's kinda difficult for me to explain...
> 
> ...


That is the dbag ahem BOTL video that I watched. He makes it look so easy....I even tried grunting it out....my wife was like....what the hell is wrong with you?


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## Cigar-Enthusiast (Feb 2, 2014)

zoey said:


> That is the dbag ahem BOTL video that I watched. He makes it look so easy....I even tried grunting it out....my wife was like....what the hell is wrong with you?


That made me LOL.


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## sullen (Sep 10, 2013)

zoey said:


> That is the dbag ahem BOTL video that I watched. He makes it look so easy....I even tried grunting it out....my wife was like....what the hell is wrong with you?


oh sorry man, i didnt see you went through YT already. yeah that guy sucks... almost as bad as brian glen.... 
those two would be in a very close running for biggest douchebag in the tobacco industry lifetime achievement award...


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## tnlawyer (Jul 17, 2013)

sullen said:


> oh sorry man, i didnt see you went through YT already. yeah that guy sucks... almost as bad as brian glen....
> those two would be in a very close running for biggest douchebag in the tobacco industry lifetime achievement award...


I agree on the CO guy. His reviews are crap IMO, but I did send him a package of cigars that he was forwarding on to our troops, so I'll give him props for doing that.


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## Pj201 (Apr 27, 2013)

apollo said:


> Puff your cheeks with air, and close your mouth. Make this air come out of your nose. I've taught many folks the retrohale with this way of describing it.


Great job sir. By doing this without smoke they will feel how to activate the retro hale and will have to "find the way" without accidentally swallowing caustic smoke. I'm sure most of the humans can graduate to smoke very quickly. After that it's on auto pilot. 
:wink:


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## Milhouse (Oct 22, 2011)

apollo said:


> Puff your cheeks with air, and close your mouth. Make this air come out of your nose. I've taught many folks the retrohale with this way of describing it.


Good description. Pretty straight forward. Can't imagine how some people can't do this at will.


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